Funding announced to save the Mallee emu-wren from permanent extinction

THREATENED SPECIES: Funding has been announced to bring the Mallee emu-wren, extinct in South Australia, home to Ngarkat Conservation Park.

In celebration of Threatened Species Day, the federal government announced $225,322 will be allocated to returning the Mallee emu-wren to South Australia.

The threatened bird recently became extinct in South Australia and the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin (SAMDB) National Resources Management (NRM) board has been working to bring the bird home ever since.

Mallee emu-wrens now persist in three Victorian populations only, which are at high risk of extinction due to wildfire.

Using an adaptive management framework, the SAMDB NRM aims to transfer 60-80 birds to Ngarkat Conservation Park to establish a new population and refine the release strategy necessary for this establishment.

The translocation will draw upon a large team of national experts from the Threatened Mallee Birds Steering Committee, with support from scientists, local community, and critical logistics from regional Rotary groups.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin welcomed the investment and said many in the Barker community hold a strong attachment to our unique native species.

“I am delighted to announce that Trees for Life, Kowree Farm Tree Group and the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin NRM will be receiving funding under the Threatened Species Recovery Fund,” he said.

“This government investment will help these fantastic organisations to deliver outcomes that will help secure the future of threatened native species in our community.”